Condors name Troy Mann as head coach

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The Bakersfield Condors and General Manager John Olver have announced that Troy Mann has been named the fifth head coach in Condors history.

Mann, 43, has spent the last eight seasons in the coaching ranks including the past four campaigns as an assistant coach with the Hersey Bears of the American Hockey League. During his time in Hershey, the Bears went a remarkable 180-100-32 (.628 win percentage) including an AHL record-setting campaign in 2009-10. That year, the Bears went 60-17-3, setting the AHL record for wins in one season, en route to capturing the 2010 Calder Cup.

Under his leadership, nine current Washington Capitals were developed in Hershey. One of his primary responsibilities with the Bears was handling the team's penalty kill, which finished in the top third of the league in each of his four seasons. In 2009-10, the Bears led the league with an impressive 87.4 percent. Mann also was an assistant coach for two AHL All-Star Games in 2010 and 2011.

"I'm excited about joining the Condors family," said Mann. "My goal this summer was to become a head coach and I am thankful for this opportunity from the Condors organization. I look forward to working with John Olver, rebuilding the hockey program, getting the team back into the playoffs, and competing for a Kelly Cup championship.

" "Throughout this process the criteria that we established for our head coach was someone with professional head coaching experience, proven playoff success, and a person of high character," Olver said. "Troy already has eight years of professional coaching experience, and has had outstanding playoff success, including a 2010 AHL Calder Cup Championship. He is very well respected and connected within the hockey community. Every successful team has a foundation with a strong leader, and we believe that we have added that cornerstone with Troy."

The Campbellton, New Brunswick native has proven head coaching success at the ECHL level during his two seasons with the Columbia Inferno from 2006-08. In 2007-08, Mann led the Inferno to a regular season record of 33-28-11 (.535), with 77 points, good for sixth in the American Conference. The playoffs became a proving ground for Mann and the Inferno as they knocked off fourth-seeded Florida and the 52-game winning Texas Wildcatters, before falling in the American Conference Semifinals to South Carolina.

His professional playing career spanned 10 seasons from 1995-2005 and included an ECHL Kelly Cup Championship with Mississippi in 1999 playing under now Anaheim Ducks Head Coach Bruce Boudreau. Mann is a former Condor as well, playing seven games in Bakersfield in 2000-01 with a goal and two assists. He becomes the first former Condors player to become head coach of the team.